Raindrops and Sunshine
by TigerLilith
Summary: This is a short oneshot written for the comic Uranus Rings on Smackjeeves as part of a contest; it was written in 2008.


Raindrops and Sunshine

My name is Uranus Garth and for as long as I can remember, I've hated the rain. When I was little, the rain was the instrument of my torture, forcing me to remain indoors and listen, helpless, while my parents argued in the next room. What did they argure about, you ask? Hmph, what _didn't_ they argue about; work, food, me, money...oh god, the money. It never really mattered what the argument started about because it _always_ ended about money. I'd like to see you sit for hours on end, for days, _weeks_ on end listening to that because of the rain and not end up hating it.

Several years later, when I was just entering my teens, the rain gave me yet another reason to hate it; bullies. I'm sure everyone, at some time or another, has been picked on. Usually though, the misery is short lived as the bullies and thugs would grow tired of their sport and leave to find other victims. If only I had been so lucky. I was never thought of as a robust child; I was always quite skinny and small. As I got older, that never really changed; I added inches to my height, true, but I still remained as skinny as ever.

Now, that alone wouldn't have singled me out for a beating, no; it was all because of my face. I had the face of a _god; _girls spent entire afternoons swooning over me, pining after me, and guys wanted to be me. Well, all except for that small minority that decided they'd just make my life a living hell. After a couple of months of being constantly hounded by those that would prefer to have my face look like a picasso painting rather than that of a young apollo, I started learning how to avoid them. I was actually getting pretty good at it, too...until the week we had those freak storms that had us all locked inside the classrooms, unable to go outside for our lunch, breaks, anything. It felt like I was a single steak being thrown into a pit full of ravinous dogs; they all want a piece of me and were perfectly willing to rip me to shreds to get some. I was beat up more that week than I had in my entire life up to that point; I swear mother nature must hate me.

I know what you're thinking; 'but Uranus, that was all in the past!' Yes, well, that may be true, but today the rain has given me yet _another_ reason to loathe its existence. Originally, I was going to spend the afternoon outside with my boyfriend, Luca. The weatherman had predicted sunshine all week, not a sign of rainclouds in the forecast until the middle of _next _week. Apparently, the forecast changed but he never received the memo. Now, instead of planning what we were going to do, I'm stuck inside sitting in the window, watching as the raindrops fall and drip off of the leaves of a nearby tree to land on the pavement below. Worst of all, I'm _talking to myself_; I always did think too much.

Uranus suddenly stands with a yawn and a stretch. "Enough of this, I'm only going to drive myself insane if I sit here any longer. There must be something else I can do."

Glancing once more at the deluge outside, Uranus heaves a sigh and turns away, walking into the livingroom of the small, two bedroom house he and Luca share to gaze at the clock hanging above the fireplace. "Already 3:45pm? Luca would be getting home soon if it wasn't for that art thing he had today and I, naturally, forgot to ask him how long he'd be." Smirking a little, Uranus continues on through the livingroom towards the kitchen. "In my defense I would have to say I _was_ a bit distracted..."

Opening the refrigerator to rummage its contents, Uranus smiles and begins sifting through the pleasure fogged memories from the night before. It had been a good evening; dinner, a little time curled up beside Luca on the couch exchanging tentative kisses and feather light caresses...which of course led to the bedroom and a much more heated exchange. Waking up this morning snuggled up together amongst the tangled sheets had been an extremely pleasant way to begin the day. Now, if only the rain would stop so it could continue... Finding nothing of interest in the in the fridge, Uranus shuts the door and makes his way back to the window seat to continue his musings.

Its funny that Luca and I ended up together; model and art teacher, teenager and adult. I bet if you asked 100 people, 90 would say a pairing like this isn't possible, that it would never work. But we...compliment eachother. We've each gone through some tough times, both together and apart, and I wouldn't trade my time with him for anything. I was more or less coasting through life up until the events that put us together. The initial attack carried out by Luis' thugs, the assault a few days later in my apartment, the hospital, the recovery...in one way or another, Luca was there for me. I don't know if I'd have made it through everything without him. Now, I don't know how I ever lived alone. He makes me happy like no one else before him ever could; for the first time in a long time I feel...

"You like the rain?"

"Ah!" Jumping a little at the unexpected interruption, Uranus whips his head around to see Luca shaking off his umbrella as he shuts the front door. "Luca! W-what...?"

Having divested himself of his coat and shoes, Luca makes his way across the room to plant a small kiss on his startled lover's forehead. "You were gazing out at the rain with this peaceful look and a smile so I was wondering if you liked the rain."

"Actually, I really don't; I was thinking of you."

"Ah, well, that's even better." Luca smiles as he leans down and kisses Uranus on the lips, raising a hand to cup the side of his face while taking the kiss deeper. After a long moment, Luca steps back and drops another kiss on the teen's forehead. "I missed you today."

Uranus closes his eyes at the touch and lets out a small sigh. "I missed you, too. I wasn't expecting you back for a while; I thought you had that art thing today."

"It was cancelled due to the rain. We were counting on clear skies so that we could host it outside and when the weather changed, it caught us unprepared. There was no time to set up tents and there wasn't sufficient room inside so we just postponed the whole thing."

Uranus begins shifting to allow Luca space on the seat. "Sorry to hear that. That's one of the reasons I can't stand the rain; it ruins everything. Nothing good ever comes of it and there's never any sunshine. Its just dark and miserable."

Luca lets out a small chuckle as he settles himself behind Uranus. "I never realized you were such a pessamist; there are plenty of good things about the rain."

Uranus crosses his arms and tilts his head to aim a glare out the window. "Tch, like what? Name one thing that's good about all _that_."

"Well, for one thing, there's this." Luca reaches forward and gathers his now grumpy partner in his arms, pulling him back until he's resting with his back against the older man's chest. "If it wasn't for the rain", he continues, nuzzling his face into the side of Uranus' neck, "I wouldn't be here for at least a couple more hours, I'd still be at the school. And the lack of sunshine doesn't bother me; I have you for that. You brighten my very existence, Uranus. The sun could never come out again and I'd be fine with that as long as I was with you."

"Luca..." Uranus' expression softens as he places his arms over that of his lover's and closes his eyes. "Maybe you're right."

"Really?"

"I said maybe...as long as you keep doing that."

In response, Luca tightens his hold and nuzzles just a little more at his sunshine's neck with a smile. "That I can definitely do."

My name is Uranus Garth, and for as long as I can remember, I've hated the rain. Today, however, I think I may be starting to like it. Just a little.

End


End file.
